System for automatically reading stored rewriting data and replacing system generated setup data by the rewriting data before system initialization

ABSTRACT

A setup data rewriting device has a nonvolatile memory device that stores rewriting data including registry data. Before the operating system refers to the registry data, the rewriting data is read from the storage device and stored in a memory region of a RAM different from a region where the operating system generates the registry data. Also, before the operating system refers to the registry data, the rewriting data stored in the RAM is used to rewrite the registry data stored in the RAM to the registry data included in the rewriting data.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a storage media thatare used, upon starting up a computer, to generate registry data ofcomputer setting in a RAM and install the generated registry data in anoperating system that refers to the registry data. In particular, in asystem that requires a power shut down, the present invention relates toa setup data rewriting apparatus, a setup data rewriting system and astorage media that stores a setup data rewriting program in whichregistry data can be accurately and readily changed.

2. Discussion

Conventionally, an operating system that is installed in a mobilecomputer or a card computer, such as Windows CE (Registered Trademark),generates registry data for setting up a computer in a RAM uponstart-up, and refers to the generated registry data when device driversare installed or the system is operated.

However, since the conventional operating system described abovegenerates registry data in the RAM upon start-up, the computer is alwaysset up based on the initial data that is previously installed in theoperating system, when the computer is powered on. Therefore, in orderto set up the computer to a user fs desired setting, the user isrequired to change the registry data to his desired setting after thestartup. Alternatively, when a program that is required to execute theoperating system is generated, registry data for the desired settingneeds to be installed.

However, when the registry data is modified after the startup, arelatively long time is required for such a modification work becausethe registry data is enormous. Also, unlike Windows 95 or 98 (RegisteredTrademark), the above described operation system reads a singleexecution file of several megabytes (MB) into a RAM at a predeterminedaddress, and directly executes the program from the address. Therefore,even if the registry data is changed after startup, it is difficult towrite the changed registry data in the execution file. Accordingly, inorder to maintain the user fs desired computer setting, the computerneeds to be continuously operated without shutting down the power afterthe registry data is changed. Alternatively, the registry data needs tobe changed at each startup. The former cannot be applied to a systemthat requires a power shut down, and the latter not only requires asubstantial amount of work and time, but also may result in erroneoussetting of the registry data.

Also, when a program that is required to execute the operating system isgenerated, a substantial amount of time is required to generate theprogram when the registry data for the desired setting is installed. Inparticular, when systems that install an operating system are providedto many users, a program needs to be generated for each individual user.It requires a substantial amount of time for the works to generate theprograms.

Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the unsolvedproblems of the prior technique. It is an object of the presentinvention to provide a setup data rewriting apparatus, a setup datarewriting system and a storage media that stores a setup data rewritingprogram that can correctly and readily change the setup data for asystem that requires a power shut down.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the object described above, a setup data rewriting apparatus,in accordance with the present invention, includes a first storagedevice, and generates setup data in the first storage device and appliesthe generated setup data to a system that refers to the setup data whenthe system is operated. The setup data rewriting apparatus readsrewriting data for rewriting the setup data in the first storage devicebefore the system refers to the setup data, and rewrites the setup datain the first storage device by using the rewriting data in the firststorage device.

With the structure described above, the rewriting data is read in thefirst storage device before the system refers to the setup data, and thesetup data in the first storage device is rewritten by using therewriting data in the first storage device. Then, upon operating thesystem, the system refers to the setup data that has been rewritten.

In the invention, the rewriting data is read or the setup data isrewritten before the system refers to the setup data. It is noted that,for example, reading the rewriting data and rewriting the setup data canbe performed after the system generates the setup data. However, in viewof ready installation of the rewriting data in the operating system,they may preferably be performed before the system generates the setupdata.

Also, the invention is not limited to a system that generates registrydata upon startup, and refers to the generated registry data for itsoperation, but is also applicable to any systems that generate setupdata upon startup, and refer to the generated setup data for theiroperation.

Furthermore, the setup data rewriting apparatus, in accordance with theinvention further comprises a non-volatile second storage device thatstores the rewriting data. Before the system refers to the setup data,the setup data rewriting apparatus reads the rewriting data from thesecond storage device, stores the rewriting data in a region in thefirst storage device that is different from a region where the system isto generate the setup data, and rewrites the setup data in the firststorage device by using the rewriting data in the first storage device.

With the structure described above, before the system refers to thesetup data, the rewriting data is read from the second storage deviceand stored in a storage region in the first storage device that isdifferent from a region where the system is to generate the setup data,and the setup data in the first storage device is rewritten by using therewriting data in the first storage device.

It is noted that the second storage device stores rewriting data by anymeans and at any time. Therefore, the second storage device may storethe rewriting data in advance, or may store the rewriting data when theapparatus is in operation. It is noted that the first storage device maybe a non-volatile type or a volatile type.

Furthermore, in the setup data rewriting apparatus in accordance withthe invention, the rewriting data includes the setup data. The setupdata rewriting apparatus further includes a reading device that readsthe rewriting data from the second storage, and stores the rewritingdata in a memory region in the first storage device that is differentfrom a region where the system is to generate the setup data, and arewriting device that rewrites the setup data in the first storagedevice to the setup data included in the rewriting data by using therewriting data in the first storage device, wherein reading by thereading device and rewriting by the rewriting device are performedbefore the system generates setup data.

With the structure described above, before the system refers to thesetup data, the reading device reads the rewriting data from the secondstorage, and stores the rewriting data in a memory region in the firststorage device that is different from a region where the system is togenerate the setup data, and the rewriting device rewrites the setupdata in the first storage device to the setup data included in therewriting data by using the rewriting data in the first storage device.

Also, the setup data rewriting apparatus, in accordance with the presentinvention, includes a first storage device, and generates setup data forsetting up a computer in the first storage device and applies thegenerated setup data to an operating system that refers to the setupdata when the operating system is operated. The setup data rewritingapparatus includes a non-volatile second storage device that storesrewriting data for rewriting the setup data, the rewriting dataincluding the setup data, a reading device that reads the rewriting datafrom the second storage, and stores the rewriting data in a region in amemory region of the first storage device that is different from aregion where the operating system is to generate the setup data, and arewriting device that rewrites the setup data in the first storagedevice to the setup data included in the rewriting data by using therewriting data in the first storage device. The reading device performsreading before the operating system generates setup data and therewriting device performs rewriting before the operating systemgenerates setup data.

With the structure described above, before the operating systemgenerates setup data, the reading device reads the rewriting data fromthe second storage, and stores the rewriting data in a region in amemory region of the first storage device that is different from aregion where the operating system is to generate the setup data, and therewriting device rewrites the setup data in the first storage device tothe setup data included in the rewriting data by using the rewritingdata in the first storage device. When the operating system operates,the operating system refers to the rewritten setup data.

Also, in order to achieve the object, a system in accordance with thepresent invention includes the setup data rewriting apparatus and theoperating system, wherein the operating system refers for its operationto the setup data that is rewritten by the setup data rewritingapparatus.

With the structure described above, the setup data rewriting apparatuschanges the setup data in the first storage device to the setup dataincluded in the rewriting data by using the rewriting data in the firststorage device, and the operating system refers to the rewritten setupdata.

Also, in order to achieve the object, a computer readable storagedevice, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a firststorage device and a non-volatile second storage device that storesrewriting data for rewriting setup data, in which the rewriting dataincludes includes the setup data. The computer readable storage devicestores a program for generating the setup data for setting up a computerin the first storage device and applying the generated setup data to anoperating system that refers to the setup data when the operating systemis operated. The computer readable storage device stores a setup datarewriting program that makes a computer to execute step of reading therewriting data from the second storage device and storing the rewritingdata in a region in a memory region of the first storage device that isdifferent from a region where the operating system is to generate thesetup data before the operating system generates setup data, and step ofrewriting the setup data in the first storage device to the setup dataincluded in the rewriting data by using the rewriting data in the firststorage device before the operating system refers to setup data.

With the structure described above, when the data stored in the storagedevice is read by the computer, and the computer is operated based onthe data read out, the same effects provided by the setup data rewritingapparatus can be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a computer that is a card computer.

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a startup process.

FIGS. 3(a)-3(f) show storage statuses of RAM.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below withreference to the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 and 3 show setup datarewriting apparatuses in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention.

In accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, a setupdata rewriting apparatus is applied to an operating system, like WindowsCE, that generates registry data in a RAM upon startup, and refers tothe generated registry data when device drivers are installed or theoperating system is operated. As shown in FIG. 1, the operating systemis installed in a computer 20 that is a card computer.

First, a structure of a system in which a setup data rewriting apparatusof the present invention is applied will be described below withreference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the computer 20, thatis a card computer.

As shown in FIG. 1, the computer 20 includes devices, such as, a CPU 30that operates and controls the entire system based on a control program,a ROM 32 that stores in a predetermined region thereof the controlprogram for controlling the CPU 30, a RAM 34 that stores data read outfrom the ROM 32 and operation results required during the operationprocess by the CPU 30, a CRTC 36 that converts data stored in apredetermined region of the RAM 34 into an image signal and outputsthereof, and an I/F 38 that handles input and output of data withrespect to external apparatuses. The devices are mutually connected by abus 39 that is a signal line for transferring data in a manner that datacan be sent and received.

The I/F 38 connects to external devices, such as, an input device 40including a keyboard, a mouse or the like that functions as aman-machine interface and enables inputting data, a non-volatile storagedevice 42 that stores data and tables as files, and a display device 44including an LCD, a CRT or the like that displays an image based onimage signals.

The RAM 34 has VRAM 35 in a specified region thereof to store displaydata for displaying on the display device 44. The VRAM 35 isindependently accessible by the CPU 30 and the CRTC 36.

The CRTC 36 successively reads out the display data stored in the VRAM35 at a predetermined cycle, and converts the read display data intoimage signals and outputs the signals to the display device 44.

The storage device 42 stores a program required to execute the operatingsystem which is a single execution file of several megabytes, arewriting data file that is composed of rewriting data for rewriting theregistry data, loaders that read in other files and device drivers thatcontrol devices. The rewriting data file includes registry data thatsets up the computer to specified settings desired by the user. In therewriting data file, the rewriting data is stored in a text format.

The CPU 30 is composed of a microprocessing unit MPU or the like. Whenthe power is turned on, the CPU 30 starts a predetermined program storedin a predetermined region in the ROM 32, and a starting process isexecuted according to the program in a manner shown in the flow chart ofFIG. 2. FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of the starting process.

When the starting process is executed by the CPU 30, step S100 isstarted, as shown in FIG. 2.

In step S100, a loader for reading a file is read from the storagedevice 42 and stored in a pretended predetermined region of the RAM 34.In step S102, by the loader, a rewriting data file is read from thestorage device 42, and the rewriting data is stored in a predeterminedregion of the RAM 34, and then step S104 is executed. More specifically,in step 102 S102, upon storing the rewriting data in the RAM 34, therewriting data in a text format is converted to a binary file, and thenstored in the RAM 34.

In step S104, by the loader, an execution file for the operating systemis read from the storage device 42 and the execution program is storedin a predetermined region of the RAM 34. Then, in step S106, the programis executed from a predetermined address among the addresses of the RAM34 that stores the execution program. Then, step S108 is executed toinitialize the devices, and then step S110 is executed.

In step S110, registry data is generated at a predetermined region ofthe RAM 34 based on initialization data that is implemented in theexecution program. In step S112, the registry data stored in the RAM 34is rewritten to registry data that is included in the rewriting datastored in the RAM 34 by using the rewriting data in the RAM 34, and thenstep S114 is executed. More particularly, in step S112, by the loader,an execution file that is composed of a rewriting program for executionof rewriting of the registry data by using the rewriting data is read,and the rewriting program is stored in a predetermined region of the RAM34. By the rewriting program, the registry data stored in the RAM 34 isrewritten to registry data that is included in the rewriting data byusing the rewriting data stored in the RAM 34.

In step S114, the registry data stored in the RAM 34 is referredrewritten to thereby install device drivers, and a series of processesis thus completed.

Next, an operation of the above-described embodiment will be describedwith reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows states of storage of the RAM 34.

When the computer 20 is powered on, a specified program stored in apredetermined region of the ROM 32 is started by the CPU 30, and thestartup process is executed according to the program.

When the startup process is executed, first, in step S100, a loader isread from the storage device 42. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the loaderis stored in a predetermined region of the RAM 34. Then, in step S102, arewriting data file is read from the storage device 42 by the loader,and as shown in FIG. 3(b), the read rewriting data file is stored in apredetermined region of the RAM 34.

Then, in step S104, an execution file for the operating system is readfrom the storage device 42. As shown in FIG. 3(c), an execution programof the read execution file is stored in a predetermined region of theRAM 34. Then, in step S106 through step S110, the program is executedfrom a predetermined address among addresses of the RAM 34 that storesthe execution program, and devices are initialized by the operatingsystem. Then, as shown in 3(d) FIG. 3(d), registry data is generated ina predetermined region of the RAM 34 based on initialization dataimplemented in the execution program.

Then, in step S112, the registry data stored in the RAM 34 is rewrittento the registry data included in the rewriting data by using therewriting data stored in the RAM 34, as shown in 3(e) FIG. 3(e). Then,the operating system refers to the registry data of the RAM 34, as shownin FIG. 3(f), and installs the device drivers. Then, the operatingsystem installs a GUI, a shell and the like, and the startup operationof the operating system is completed.

In this manner, the present embodiment is equipped with the volatilestorage device 42 that stores rewriting data including registry data.Before the operating system refers to the registry data, the rewritingdata is read from the storage device 42 and stored in a region of theRAM 34 different from a region thereof where the operating systemgenerates registry data, and the registry data stored in the RAM 34 isrewritten to the registry data included in the rewriting data by usingthe rewriting data stored in the RAM 34.

Accordingly, by storing rewriting data that includes registry data forsettings desired by the user in the storage device 42, the computer isalways set to the settings desired by the user without modifying theregistry data at each startup. Therefore, the time required to modifythe registry data is reduced, and the possibility to erroneously set theregistry data is reduced. Also, when systems that implement an operatingsystem are provided to many users, only rewriting data that includesregistry data for each user may be generated. Therefore, the timerequired for the data generation work is reduced compared to theconventional technology.

Moreover, in accordance with the present embodiment, before theoperating system refers to the registry data, the rewriting data is readfrom the storage device 42 and stored in a memory region of the RAM 34different from a region thereof where the operating system is togenerate registry data.

It is noted that, after the operating system is started, the processingcontents of the operating system are complicated and difficult toanalyze, and therefore it is difficult to add a program that is createdby the user. In this respect, the rewriting data is read before theoperating system starts up, such that the data can be readily installedin the operating system.

It is noted that, in the above-described embodiment, whenever any one ofthe processes shown in the flowchart of FIG. 2 is executed, the controlprogram stored in advance in the ROM 32 is executed. However, thepresent invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, aprogram representing the processes may be stored in a storage device,and the program may be read into the RAM 34 and then executed.

The storage device described above includes semiconductor storage media,such as RAM and ROM, magnetic storage type memory media, such as FD andHD, optically readable storage memory media, such as CD, CDV, LD andDVD, and magnetic storage/optically readable storage media such as MO.Therefore, the storage device includes any type of computer readablestorage media without regard to the reading methods includingelectronic, magnetic, and optical reading methods.

In the above-described embodiment, the registry data corresponds tosetup data. The RAM 34 corresponds to a first storage device. Thestorage device 42 corresponds to a second storage device. Step S102corresponds to reading means. Step S112 corresponds to rewriting means.

As described above, by a setup data rewriting device in accordance withthe present invention, setup data can be accurately and readily modifiedin a system that requires a power shut down compared to the conventionaltechnique.

Furthermore, by a setup data rewriting device in accordance with thepresent invention, setup data can be readily installed in an operatingsystem.

Moreover, by a system in accordance with the present invention, setupdata can be accurately and readily modified in a system that requires apower shut down compared to the conventional technique.

Furthermore, by a storage media that stores a setup data rewritingprogram in accordance with the present invention, setup data can beaccurately and readily modified in a system that requires a power shutdown compared to the conventional technique.

1. A setup data rewriting apparatus comprising a first storage device,for generating setup data in the first storage device and applying thegenerated setup data to a system that refers to the setup data when thesystem is operated, characterized in that rewriting data for rewritingthe setup data is automatically read in the first storage device beforethe system refers to the setup data, and the setup data in the firststorage device is automatically rewritten by using the rewriting data inthe first storage device after the system generates the setup data andbefore the system refers to the setup data.
 2. A setup data rewritingapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a non-volatile secondstorage device that stores the rewriting data, wherein, before thesystem refers to the setup data, the rewriting data is read from thesecond storage device and is stored in a region in the first storagedevice that is different from a region where the system is to generatethe setup data, and the setup data in the first storage device isrewritten by using the rewriting data in the first storage device.
 3. Asetup data rewriting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein therewriting data includes the setup data, the setup data rewritingapparatus further comprising a reading device that reads the rewritingdata from the second storage, and stores the rewriting data in a regionin the first storage device that is different from a region where thesystem is to generate the setup data, and a rewriting device thatrewrites the setup data in the final storage device to the setup dataincluded in the rewriting data by using the rewriting data in the firststorage device, wherein reading by the reading device and rewriting bythe rewriting device are performed before the system generates setupdata.
 4. A setup data rewriting apparatus including a first storagedevice, for generating setup data for computer setting in the firststorage device and applying the generated setup data to an operatingsystem that refers to the setup data when the operating system isoperated, the apparatus comprising: a non-volatile second storage devicethat stores rewriting data for rewriting the setup data, the rewritingdata including setup data; a reading device that reads the rewritingdata from the second storage device, and stores the rewriting data in aregion in a memory region of the first storage device that is differentfrom a region where the operating system is to generate the setup data;and a rewriting device that rewrites the setup data in the first storagedevice to the setup data included in the rewriting data by using therewriting data in the first storage device, wherein the reading deviceautomatically performs reading before the operating system generatessetup data and the rewriting device automatically performs rewritingbefore the system refers to the setup data.
 5. A system comprising thesetup data rewriting apparatus and the operating system according toclaim 4, wherein the operating system refers for operation thereof tothe setup data that is rewritten by the setup data rewriting apparatus.6. A computer readable storage device comprising a first storage deviceand a non-volatile second storage device that stores rewriting data forrewriting setup data, the rewriting data including setup data, thecomputer readable storage device storing in the first storage device aprogram for generating the setup data for setting up a computer andapplying the generated setup data to an operating system that refers tothe setup data when the operating system is operated, wherein thecomputer readable storage device stores a setup data rewriting programthat makes a computer execute a step of automatically reading therewriting data from the second storage device and storing the rewritingdata in a memory region of the first storage device that is differentfrom a region where the operating system is to generate the setup databefore the operating system generates setup data and a step ofautomatically rewriting the setup data in the first storage device tothe setup data included in the rewriting data by using the rewritingdata in the first storage device before the operating system refers tosetup data.